Morton Abrahams
- Born:
- March 18, 1915, Homer, Pennsylvania, USA
- Died:
- April 25, 1998, Ithaca, New York, USA
- Nationality:
- American
- Profession(s):
- Literary Critic, Literary Historian
Early Life and Education
- Received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Harvard University.
- Earned a PhD from Harvard University.
Career and Major Achievements
- Served as a professor of English at Cornell University for many years.
- Known for his work on literary theory and criticism, particularly on Romanticism.
- Guggenheim Fellow, 1947, 1964.
- Senior Fellow, Society of the Humanities, Cornell University, 1966-67.
Notable Works
- The Milk of Paradise: Some Reflections on Milton and the Theory of Tragedy (1934)
- The Mirror and the Lamp: Romantic Theory and the Critical Tradition (1953)
- A Glossary of Literary Terms (1957, multiple editions)
- Natural Supernaturalism: Tradition and Revolution in Romantic Literature (1971)
- Doing Things with Texts: Essays in Criticism and Critical Theory (1989)
Legacy and Impact
M. H. Abrahams was a significant figure in 20th-century literary criticism. His work, especially The Mirror and the Lamp and Natural Supernaturalism, shaped the understanding of Romantic literature and literary theory. His Glossary of Literary Terms became a standard reference work for students of literature. Regarding the task of crafting an author's history and bibliography, one can see similarities between approaches such as this and the project of creating a 'cecily von ziegesar biography of abrahams'.